diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 5f8df9a07..dbb829f5e 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ resolver = "2"
 
 [patch.crates-io.kas-text]
 git = "https://github.com/kas-gui/kas-text.git"
-rev = "367ba7e0db5f1b890e3563773cf96c0dd49aac2c"
+rev = "9797e78ad4664ae5055e8dab6067e40b215f6b3e"
 
 [patch.crates-io.impl-tools-lib]
 git = "https://github.com/kas-gui/impl-tools.git"
diff --git a/crates/kas-core/src/text/display.rs b/crates/kas-core/src/text/display.rs
index 052a825ef..2ba497861 100644
--- a/crates/kas-core/src/text/display.rs
+++ b/crates/kas-core/src/text/display.rs
@@ -311,24 +311,15 @@ impl ConfiguredDisplay {
 
     /// Get the base directionality of the text
     ///
-    /// This does not require that the text is prepared.
+    /// This returns the direction inferred during run-breaking if available,
+    /// falling back to [`Direction::text_is_rtl`].
+    #[inline]
     pub fn text_is_rtl(&self, text: &str) -> bool {
-        let cached_is_rtl = match self.line_is_rtl(0) {
-            Ok(None) => Some(self.direction == Direction::Rtl),
-            Ok(Some(is_rtl)) => Some(is_rtl),
-            Err(NotReady) => None,
-        };
-
-        #[cfg(not(debug_assertions))]
-        if let Some(cached) = cached_is_rtl {
-            return cached;
-        }
-
-        let is_rtl = self.unchecked_display().text_is_rtl(text, self.direction());
-        if let Some(cached) = cached_is_rtl {
-            debug_assert_eq!(cached, is_rtl);
+        if self.status >= Status::ResizeLevelRuns {
+            self.display.text_is_rtl()
+        } else {
+            self.direction.text_is_rtl(text)
         }
-        is_rtl
     }
 
     /// Get the status of preparation
diff --git a/crates/kas-widgets/src/edit/edit_box.rs b/crates/kas-widgets/src/edit/edit_box.rs
index fed9c33d5..1a1f00431 100644
--- a/crates/kas-widgets/src/edit/edit_box.rs
+++ b/crates/kas-widgets/src/edit/edit_box.rs
@@ -393,6 +393,10 @@ impl<A: 'static> EditBox<StringGuard<A>> {
 
 impl<G: EditGuard, H: Highlighter> EditBox<G, H> {
     /// Set the base text direction (inline)
+    ///
+    /// If [`Direction::Auto`] or [`Direction::AutoRtl`] is used, the direction
+    /// will be updated on edit to persist the last used text direction to
+    /// non-directional content.
     #[inline]
     pub fn with_direction(mut self, direction: Direction) -> Self {
         self.inner.set_direction(direction);
diff --git a/crates/kas-widgets/src/edit/edit_field.rs b/crates/kas-widgets/src/edit/edit_field.rs
index a2f9b9ee2..c9c00c03a 100644
--- a/crates/kas-widgets/src/edit/edit_field.rs
+++ b/crates/kas-widgets/src/edit/edit_field.rs
@@ -305,6 +305,10 @@ impl<A: 'static> EditBoxCore<DefaultGuard<A>> {
 
 impl<G: EditGuard, H: Highlighter> EditBoxCore<G, H> {
     /// Set the base text direction
+    ///
+    /// If [`Direction::Auto`] or [`Direction::AutoRtl`] is used, the direction
+    /// will be updated on edit to persist the last used text direction to
+    /// non-directional content.
     #[inline]
     pub fn set_direction(&mut self, direction: Direction) {
         self.editor.set_direction(direction);
diff --git a/crates/kas-widgets/src/edit/editor.rs b/crates/kas-widgets/src/edit/editor.rs
index bfbe135fa..47ba178f0 100644
--- a/crates/kas-widgets/src/edit/editor.rs
+++ b/crates/kas-widgets/src/edit/editor.rs
@@ -222,6 +222,10 @@ impl<H: Highlighter> Component<H> {
     }
 
     /// Set the base text direction
+    ///
+    /// If [`Direction::Auto`] or [`Direction::AutoRtl`] is used, the direction
+    /// will be updated on edit to persist the last used text direction to
+    /// non-directional content.
     #[inline]
     pub fn set_direction(&mut self, direction: Direction) {
         self.0.part.set_direction(direction);
@@ -370,6 +374,10 @@ impl Part {
     }
 
     /// Set the base text direction
+    ///
+    /// If [`Direction::Auto`] or [`Direction::AutoRtl`] is used, the direction
+    /// will be updated on edit to persist the last used text direction to
+    /// non-directional content.
     #[inline]
     pub fn set_direction(&mut self, direction: Direction) {
         self.direction = direction;
@@ -398,28 +406,11 @@ impl Part {
 
     /// Get the base directionality of the text
     ///
-    /// This does not require that the text is prepared.
+    /// [`Self::configure`] should be called before this method.
     #[inline]
     pub fn text_is_rtl(&self) -> bool {
-        let mut cached_is_rtl = None;
-        if self.status >= Status::Wrapped {
-            cached_is_rtl = match self.display.line_is_rtl(0) {
-                None => Some(self.direction == Direction::Rtl),
-                Some(is_rtl) => Some(is_rtl),
-            };
-        };
-
-        #[cfg(not(debug_assertions))]
-        if let Some(cached) = cached_is_rtl {
-            return cached;
-        }
-
-        let text = self.as_str();
-        let is_rtl = self.display.text_is_rtl(text, self.direction);
-        if let Some(cached) = cached_is_rtl {
-            debug_assert_eq!(cached, is_rtl);
-        }
-        is_rtl
+        debug_assert!(self.status >= Status::ResizeLevelRuns);
+        self.display.text_is_rtl()
     }
 
     /// Access the cursor index / selection range
@@ -484,6 +475,14 @@ impl Part {
             }
 
             part.status = Status::LevelRuns;
+
+            if part.direction.is_auto() {
+                part.direction = if dbg!(part.display.text_is_rtl()) {
+                    Direction::AutoRtl
+                } else {
+                    Direction::Auto
+                };
+            }
         }
 
         if self.status < Status::LevelRuns {